Remembering “ME” – Part 1

“This is the first in a series of three articles, responding to

questions about my childhood and teenage years.”

 

What was the first news event you remember?

A 12-year old latchkey kid, home alone on a very cold day in December, I was terrified after hearing this television announcement — “the world is coming to an end.” 

I decided this was a real emergency; and, called Mama at work to warn her of this “pending disaster.”  Mama reprimanded me for breaking her #1 Rule, “not to call work unless it’s an emergency.”  She thought I made this story up so that she could come home early.  I never convinced Mama that I was telling the truth.

Fifty-eight years later with Wikipedia at my fingertips, I found proof …

“World Coming to An End

A Chicago area housewife, Dorothy Martin,

claimed to have received a message from a

fictional planet named Clarion.  These

messages revealed that the world would

end in a great flood before December 21, 1954.”

This time I was telling the truth.  However, there were other times when I made up stories best described by the fable, “The Boy who Cried Wolf.”

What song makes you think of your teenage years?

I met Hubby when I was 12-years-old and visiting, over the summer, with my grandparents in Mississippi.  However, he insists we met when I visited his first grade class with a cousin.  I have no memory of this.

But, I do remember the summer of 1958.  I was a 15-year-old who discovered for the first time a “real and true love.”  This major life-changing event happened following a fun-filled evening at a local teenage dance.

Two popular records pulled us closer together; and, we both decided these were our “special songs.” 

• Rockin Robin by Bobby Day, symbolically there was no relationship between the words of this tune and this “real and true love.”

“He rocks in the tree tops all day long

Hoppin’ and a-boppin’ and a-singing his song

All the little birds on Jaybird Street

Love to hear the robin go tweet tweet tweet..”

This was the first record that we ever danced to.  We hit the floor, quickly adapting to the fast-paced rhythm; and, our steps were smooth, coordinated and effortless as if we had danced together for years.

• For Your Love by Ed Townsend a slow-moving love song which did symbolize our “real and true” with lyrics like “For your love, I’d give you everything, and that’s for sure.  For your love.  I’d bring you diamond rings to your door….”

At seventy-years-old, the lyrics and music are just nice memories of an earlier time.  But, at fifteen, every word and lyric reminded me of this newfound “real and true love.”

After fifty-three years of marriage, saying with confidence, Hubby is my first “real and true love.”